Dear fellow AMT members.

Dear fellow AMT members. We are well into the New Year and things have not slowed down atall. I am elated about being actively involved and in tune with theworkings of this great organization and to represent you, themembership. We pressed out of the gates since last summer and have notlet up yet. I gather we are presently running along the back stretch.The last quarter mile has a tendency to bring out the best in you:dedication, discipline, and steadfastness. This indeed has been a yearof change, and I want to thank my fellow board members for theircommitment to excellence. Thanks to an ad hoc committee chaired by Vice-President RoxannClifton, MT, we saw the successful restructure and re-formulation of theEQS committee and subcommittees. We have established five exam teamsthat will concentrate in their specific laboratory disciplines toenhance exam content. This was a major shift in past-practice, and Iforesee the imminent results to be very significant. This was no easytask; yet, the committee took the challenge and came back with anoteworthy outcome. We expect excellence to be achieved as a result ofhaving modified EQS. Your board of directors has been on the go since our nationalmeeting, engaged at all levels. Your interests and concerns are everbefore us, and we take to heart every item on the agenda with a keen eyeto deciding what is best for the overall membership. We work in concertto provide the best product for you, the members, and I have appreciatedthe camaraderie and contributions of each member on the board. Thanks toKathy Cilia, Director of Marketing, AMT has made great strides in makingour presence and influence felt in the marketplace. We have seen anincrease in membership due in part to the tireless efforts of our schoolliaison, Bobby Stewart. At our fall and spring board meetings, we focused on the following: * Several items requiring board decisions * Strategic think items * Executive Director and Executive Councillor's Reports * Informational reports on projects already in progress orcompleted * Reports from a number of committees including: EQS, Judiciary,Government and Federal Affairs, Audit-Budget, Bylaws, Career EducationAdvisory * Reports on meetings attended by board members and staff: - Health Professions Network Sept. 23-26 - Med Lab-Dubai Jan. 25-28 - Central Plains State Society Oct. 24 - CASMET Oct. 27-30 - Cal Assn Private Postsecondary Schools Oct. 14-16 - MGMA As we continued out of the gate and down the back stretch, we sawthe passing of the baton from Barbara Ware, MT, to Ken Hawker, MT. Kentook the reigns as Western District Councilor and I give a personalwelcome to him. I want to express special thanks to Barbara Ware forstanding in the gap and doing a superb job in the interim. I appreciateyour spirit as a team player. Thanks to each of you, our DistrictCouncilors, for your dedication and devotion. Committee appointments were made and I applaud the spirit ofvolunteerism amongst our members. Your contribution of time and effortis very much appreciated and is integral to the ongoing success of AMT. As a result of members faithfully serving at the state, districtand national levels, their continuing efforts are recognized throughaward nominations by fellow members. It gives me great pleasure tocongratulate each of our award recipients for their continuing andlasting service to AMT. They will be recognized at the annual awardsbanquet. This has always been a memorable event for conference attendeesto attend; indeed, it is a joy to share in this occasion. National Medical Laboratory Professionals Week will be celebratedApril 18-24, 2010. Please take the opportunity to inform the publicabout your profession and the contributions the medical lab hassignificantly made to the health care arena. We should take advantage,both verbally and in written-form, to educate the community what we dobest. This is your week, so make plans to celebrate. I want to give a shout-out to Harry Narine, MT, RPT, and theTrinidad-Tobago branch of CASMET for a very informative, enjoyable andsuccessful Biennial Meeting. I was afforded the privilege to present aworkshop during this meeting, a meeting I found to be both wellorganized and well attended. AMT was represented through activeparticipation of Chris Seay, MT, Walter Parsons, MT, and Diane Powell,CMP, Director of Meetings & Publications. I want to congratulateJanice Wissart, D.MT, as she took the helm as President of CASMET. Welook forward to our joint meeting which will convene in Miami, Florida,in August, 2011. In addition, I also had the pleasure of attending theArizona State Society meeting October 23-24, 2009. You are to becommended for a very successful meeting. As a result of the devastation in Haiti, I authorized the sendingof a $1,500.00 donation to support their relief efforts. Our continualprayers of intercession go out to the people of Haiti as they go throughthis very difficult and challenging season. If you have not attended and made your presence felt at your statesociety meeting, then there is a warrant out for you. Take this columnas your official summons to appear at your next state society meetingand take an active part to spur your state onward. Each of you cancontribute in a positive way to promote your state's prosperity viabeing elected to an office, committee or just faithfully serving. So donot miss the next one. I want to pause and give a special thanks to eachactive member for your donation of time and resources to keep your statemoving forward. Your efforts are appreciated! We look forward with great enthusiasm to AMT's 72ndEducational Program and National Meeting to be held at the JW MarriottResort and Spa at Summerlin in Las Vegas, July 12-17, 2010. I am sureyou will be pleased with the facilities and the program content. You donot want to miss this convention as it promises to be another excitingone. Do take note of the program content elsewhere in this issue. Let meencourage you to make your hotel reservations early. Ahead of time isbetter time! As we close in on the finish line, I want to share that it has beenan enjoyable run. Let me persuade you to stay the course and maintain apositive attitude. If you believe you can, you can. Thomas Edison oncestated: "Many of life's failures are people who did notrealize how close they were to success when they gave up."Therefore, I want to remind you that there is a blessing in thepressing. So Keep Pressing! Respectfully, Paul Brown